Get a grip, babe
Written by Jacqueline Turner (Jax & Tonic)
Why grip strength is important for longevity.
It’s important you should know there are two types of grip strength:
Peak force/power (test 1)
Endurance (test 2)
They are measured differently. Let’s break these down.
Peak force/power grip strength is an important marker for your longevity. The test involves a dynamometer that you squeeze as hard as you can with your hand without any other movement. The data from this test measures the strength of your hand and forearm, but it does so much more than that, this test is a great indicator for total body muscle strength and overall health. There is now an abundance of data to suggest this is a proxy for a persons health and longevity, mainly due to the strong correlation with how important muscle is. As we age, muscle naturally declines. So it is important to strength train by lifting heavy things to improve grip strength and muscle mass. You might already be doing more than you think if you’re anything like my mum who lifts very heavy shopping bags and does a tonne of gardening. Every day tasks are king!
Exercise examples: barbell deadlift, weighted lunges, farmers carry, heavy shopping bags, gardening.
I am a team member at a company called Better Never Ends. The founder Charlie Goodchild and I often use this grip strength test as a start point for client journeys. It’s a great test to do for clients who are new to strength training. The initial result may be disheartening for them, but when they commit to a consistent strength training programme and re-test in six months time, they smile from ear to ear! You are never too old to start strength training. It is always worth it.
Peak force/power benefits are: increased muscle mass, improved blood flow, reduced risk of injury, functionality for everyday tasks, improvement in overall strength and health.
Endurance grip strength is measured by hanging from a bar. Hanging is a great way to balance out a sedentary lifestyle or job requiring you to use screens most of the day.
Endurance grip strength benefits are: improved grip and forearm strength, functionality for everyday tasks, increases shoulder mobility, stability and strength, decompresses the spine.
How long can you hang on a bar? This will measure your ability to hold your bodyweight, but this will not measure your overall muscle mass and health in the same way the peak force/power test will, which means the hanging endurance (test 1) is not correlated to longevity in the same way as test 2.
This is not to say hanging endurance is not important, it absolutely is. It is very clear both grip strength tests are hugely beneficial for overall health.
If you want to improve your peak force/power grip test, you should focus on lifting heavy weights. Make sure you reach out to a professional to help you lift safely and effectively.
If you want to improve your endurance grip strength, you should focus on hanging on a bar. If that feels like too much with your whole body weight at first, you can use a box to put your feet on and give as much of your weight to your feet as you need. Build up the endurance by practising increasing your time by 5 seconds each week or reducing the weight on your feet.
In summary, both grip strength tests are important and valid. If you are committed to a healthy life for longer, focus on lifting heavy weights and hanging from a bar.
Further Research: National Library of Medicine
Further Research: Huberman Lab
Written by Jacqueline Turner (Jax & Tonic)